Over 50,000 fans expected to attend Marco Simoncelli’s funeral

Marco Simoncelli’s funeral will take place in Italy tomorrow (Thursday) with more than 50,000 fans expected to attend.

Italy has been a nation united in grief since the popular 24-year-old died from multiple injuries sustained in a second lap incident during Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

Simoncelli lost control of his Honda RC212V machine at Turn 11 and was struck by American Colin Edwards and nine-times world champion Valentino Rossi.

The San Carlo Gresini Honda rider’s body arrived from Kuala Lumpur in Rome on Tuesday morning and the funeral service will take place in the church of Santa Maria Assunta in Coriano at 3pm (Thursday). The former 250GP world champion will be buried in the cemetery of his home town close to Riccione on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

Close friend Rossi, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and former world champion Jorge Lorenzo will attend the funeral service.